Flora of North America species comparison

solitary or close together, trigonous, 5–40(–95) cm, glabrous.

trigonous, glabrous.

(2–)3–7, broadly V-shaped, 3–20(–30) cm × 1.5–3 mm.

V-shaped to flat, (2–)4–11 cm × 3–4 mm.

spikes loosely to densely ovoid to hemispheric, 7–16 mm diam.;

rachis 1–2 mm, or absent;

rays 1–2, 3–45 mm;

if rays absent, inflorescence sessile, dense, 6–20 mm diam;

bracts 2–3, horizontal to reflexed downward, broadly V-shaped, 1–15 cm × 1–3 mm.

rays absent;

bracts 2–4, ± horizontal, flat, 1–6.5 cm × 2–3 mm;

rachilla persistent, wingless.

(3–)5–25(–60), linear to oblong-linear, (3–)5–9 × 1.8–2.3 mm;

floral scales 4–18, closely imbricate, chestnut brown, black, or brown, medially green or greenish brown, laterally ribless, medially 2(–3)-ribbed, distinctly 2-keeled basally, ovate to orbiculate, 1.5–2.1 × 1.4–2.2 mm, apex obtuse.

10–40, compressed, ovoid to linear-lanceoloid, quadrangular, 5–9 × 2–3 mm;

floral scales deciduous, 5–20, spreading, pale greenish to reddish brown, laterally (5–)7–9(–13)-ribbed, ovate, 3–4 × 1–2 mm, apex straight, excurved mucronate, or cuspidate.

stamens 2;

anthers 0.6–0.8 mm, connectives not prolonged;

styles 0.4–0.6 mm;

stigmas 0.7–2.1 mm.

stamens 1–2;

filaments 1.5 mm;

anthers 0.8–1 mm, connective apex reddish yellow, less than 0.1 mm;

styles 0.8–1 mm;

stigmas 1–1.2 mm.

brown, ellipsoid, 1.2–1.4 × 0.6–0.8 mm, network of ridges forming isodiametric or square cells, slightly stipitate, apex apiculate, surfaces minutely punctate.

brown to reddish brown, broadly ellipsoid to obovoid, 0.8–1.2 × 0.5–0.6 mm, base ± cuneate, apex truncate-obtuse, surfaces puncticulate.